October 21, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

One of the most criticized policies of the Trump administration has been its decision to separate members of families illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018. A federal judge put a stop to the practice and ordered the government to reunite families. But hundreds of them remain separated even now, with no prospect of reunion anytime soon. Amna Nawaz talks to the ACLU's Lee Gelernt.

How are the pandemic, social isolation and remote learning affecting mental health among adolescents? Our Student Reporting Labs teamed up with Well Beings, a public media reporting initiative, to find out. Using a unique back-to-school curriculum, student reporters recorded video diaries documenting this historic year as it unfolds. Here is a sample of their experiences, in their own words.

In our news wrap Wednesday, pharmaceutical giant Purdue Pharma is pleading guilty to federal charges of conspiracy and paying kickbacks to doctors amid the national opioid epidemic. The move involves the painkiller OxyContin and comes as part of an $8 billion settlement. Also, U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett served on the board of Christian schools barring kids of same-sex parents.

Both presidential campaigns were focused on North Carolina Wednesday, with Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, making a stop in Asheville and President Trump heading to Charlotte for an evening rally. Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama campaigned on behalf of Joe Biden and Harris in Philadelphia in an effort to mobilize Black voters. Yamiche Alcindor reports.

In a new documentary, Pope Francis makes remarks that represent an increased level of support for same-sex unions and legal protections. The statements seem to be at odds with official teachings of the Catholic Church, whose doctrine still contends that marriage is between a man and a woman. William Brangham reports and talks to Fordham University’s David Gibson, who has long covered the Vatican.

Where do President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden stand on dealing with China? The Trump administration calls itself tough on Beijing, but Trump has praised Xi Jinping on a personal level. Biden believes the U.S. and China benefit from economic cooperation. Nick Schifrin talks to the Hudson Institute's Michael Pillsbury and Christopher Hill, a former assistant secretary of state.

Ajo, Arizona, was once a robust mining community. Now it is seeking to cast off the image of a ghost town -- and reinvent itself as an arts destination of the Southwest. Stephanie Sy reports for our American Creators series and ongoing arts and culture coverage, Canvas.

With just under two weeks remaining before voting in the 2020 presidential election ends, we turn to the view from three battleground states. North Carolina Public Radio’s Jeff Tiberii, Ohio Public Radio and Television’s Karen Kasler and Mary Lahammer of Twin Cities PBS in Minnesota join Judy Woodruff to discuss the voter behavior they are seeing in their states -- and what’s motivating it.